Dave Keesey-Berg

Pastor Keesey-Berg was the Pastor for my mother's funeral at the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Mount Horeb, WI. He was so very kind and I appreciated his help with planning a funeral in July of 2006. Sharon Collins

My condolences to you, Sonja. I am comforted by the large family that surrounds you. I enjoyed knowing you and Dave years ago in a warm water class.

We are thinking of you.

Please accept our most heartfelt sympathies for your loss... Our thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time.

The Hopkins Family first met the Berg family in the late '70s, when the Bergs were touring Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during a family vacation. As Steve Berg remembers it, my dad, Ken Hopkins, and I, then residents of Gettysburg, noticed your Iowa license plate with county number "13". Since we had formerly lived in Atlantic, Iowa and knew that Cass County was County #13, my dad approached your family and asked, "Are you from Atlantic?" The surprised Berg family (I don't recall which individual) responded "Yes, how did you know." This led to a conversation in which we learned our two families had so much in common: the Hopkinses were former residents of Atlantic and former members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church there, whereas the Bergs were currently living in Atlantic and Rev. Berg was the pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran--the same church! And, Steve Hopkins (son of Ken) had many of the same Atlantic friends back in grade school that Steve Berg (second-oldest Berg son, same age as Steve Hopkins, and the two Steves later became college roommates at Luther College) currently had in high school in Atlantic. And, the Hopkins Family had lived in Decorah, Iowa in the 1950s, where Ken and Irma Hopkins were founding members of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church there. In another amazing coincidence, the Bergs had lived in Decorah in the 60s and early 70s, where Rev. Berg was pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran--the same church where the Hopkins parents were founding members! The friendship between the two families that began with a chance encounter in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania has endured for over 40 years. We--Steve and Sara Hopkins--celebrate the inspiring life of David Berg with you, as it helps define each of you, and sets an example for us all. And may our family friendship continue to grow over the next 40 years. Our blessings to you! Steve Hopkins